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Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 7: The ministers who sustain the Kingdom

Summary. Ministers and priests advise Daśaratha, gather intelligence, maintain the treasury and army, and administer justice without favour

Sequence

  1. Daśaratha has eight trusted ministers: Dhṛṣṭi, Jayanta, Vijaya, Siddhārtha, Arthasādhaka, Aśoka, Mantrapāla, and Sumantra → Vasiṣṭha and Vāmadeva serve as his purohitas (royal priests), alongside other advisers (1.7.1–3)
  2. the narrator describes their learning, courage, restraint, honesty, and attention to duty (1.7.4–5)
  3. their spies keep them informed of completed, current, and intended actions among their own people and their enemies (1.7.6)
  4. they punish wrongdoing even in their own sons but will not harm an enemy who has committed no offense → they maintain the treasury and army while weighing circumstances before imposing punishment (1.7.7–10)
  5. their cooperation, vigilance, and judgment support the Kingdom's peace and win respect abroad (1.7.11–14)
  6. with their counsel and intelligence, Daśaratha protects and pleases his subjects and has no rival equal to him. (1.7.15–17)

Verses 1.7.1–17

1.7.1

aṣṭau babhūvur vīrasya tasyāmātyā yaśasvinaḥ
śucayaś cānuraktāś ca rājakṛtyeṣu nityaśaḥ

That renowned hero had eight ministers, honest and devoted, constantly (engaged) in the affairs of the king.

Words: aṣṭau — eight; babhūvur — there were; vīrasya — of the hero; tasyāmātyā — his ministers; yaśasvinaḥ — renowned, illustrious; śucayaś — honest, pure; cānuraktāś — and devoted; ca — and; rājakṛtyeṣu — in royal affairs; nityaśaḥ — constantly, always

1.7.2

dhṛṣṭir jayanto vijayaḥ siddhārtho arthasādhakaḥ
aśoko mantrapālaś ca sumantraś cāṣṭamo 'bhavat

Dhṛṣṭi, Jayanta, Vijaya, Siddhārtha, and Arthasādhaka; Aśoka and Mantrapāla, and Sumantra was the eighth.

Words: dhṛṣṭir — Dhṛṣṭi (a minister); jayanto — Jayanta; vijayaḥ — Vijaya; siddhārtho — Siddhārtha; arthasādhakaḥ — Arthasādhaka (lit. 'achiever of aims'); aśoko — Aśoka; mantrapālaś — Mantrapāla; ca — and; sumantraś — Sumantra; cāṣṭamo — and as the eighth; 'bhavat — was

1.7.3

ṛtvijau dvāv abhimatau tasyāstām ṛṣisattamau
vasiṣṭho vāmadevaś ca mantriṇaś ca tathāpare

He had two esteemed officiating priests, the best of seers — Vasiṣṭha and Vāmadeva — and other counsellors as well.

Words: ṛtvijau — two officiating priests; dvāv — two; abhimatau — esteemed, favoured (both); tasyāstām — were his (two); ṛṣisattamau — the two best of seers; vasiṣṭho — Vasiṣṭha; vāmadevaś — Vāmadeva; ca — and; mantriṇaś — counsellors; ca — and; tathāpare — and others too

1.7.4

śrīmantaś ca mahātmānaḥ śāstrajñā dṛḍhavikramāḥ
kīrtimantaḥ praṇihitā yathā vacanakāriṇaḥ

Illustrious and great-souled, learned in the śāstras, of firm valour, renowned, attentive, and duly carrying out (the king's) commands,

Words: śrīmantaś — illustrious, prosperous; ca — and; mahātmānaḥ — great-souled; śāstrajñā — learned in the śāstras; dṛḍhavikramāḥ — of firm valour; kīrtimantaḥ — renowned, famous; praṇihitā — attentive, intent; yathā — duly, as is fitting; vacanakāriṇaḥ — carrying out (his) command

1.7.5

tejaḥkṣamāyaśaḥprāptāḥ smitapūrvābhibhāṣiṇaḥ
krodhāt kāmārthahetor vā na brūyur anṛtaṃ vacaḥ

Possessed of energy, forbearance, and renown, addressing (others) with a smile, they would never utter a false word, whether out of anger or for the sake of desire or gain.

Words: tejaḥkṣamāyaśaḥprāptāḥ — having attained energy, forbearance and fame; smitapūrvābhibhāṣiṇaḥ — speaking with a smile first (smiling as they speak); krodhāt — out of anger; kāmārthahetor — for the sake of desire or gain; vā — or; na — not; brūyur — would they speak; anṛtaṃ — untrue, false; vacaḥ — a word, speech

1.7.6

teṣām aviditaṃ kiṃ cit sveṣu nāsti pareṣu vā
kriyamāṇaṃ kṛtaṃ vāpi cāreṇāpi cikīrṣitam

There was nothing at all — being done, already done, or (merely) intended — among their own people or their enemies, that was unknown to them, thanks to their spies.

Words: teṣām — to them; aviditaṃ — unknown; kiṃ cit — anything at all; sveṣu — among their own (people); nāsti — there is not; pareṣu — among others (enemies); vā — or; kriyamāṇaṃ — being done; kṛtaṃ — already done; vāpi — or even; cāreṇāpi — even by means of a spy; cikīrṣitam — intended to be done, contemplated

1.7.7

kuśalā vyavahāreṣu sauhṛdeṣu parīkṣitāḥ
prāptakālaṃ yathā daṇḍaṃ dhārayeyuḥ suteṣv api

Skilled in affairs, tried and proven in friendship, they would mete out punishment duly, when the time was right, even upon (their own) sons.

Words: kuśalā — skilled, adept; vyavahāreṣu — in affairs, transactions, legal matters; sauhṛdeṣu — in (bonds of) friendship; parīkṣitāḥ — tested, proven; prāptakālaṃ — when the time was right, timely; yathā — duly, as is fitting; daṇḍaṃ — punishment, the rod; dhārayeyuḥ — they would apply, inflict; suteṣv — on (their) sons; api — even

1.7.8

kośasaṃgrahaṇe yuktā balasya ca parigrahe
ahitaṃ cāpi puruṣaṃ na vihiṃsyur adūṣakam

Intent on filling the treasury and on maintaining the army, they would not injure even a hostile man if he had done no wrong.

Words: kośasaṃgrahaṇe — in amassing the treasury; yuktā — engaged, intent; balasya — of the army, force; ca — and; parigrahe — in the maintenance, upkeep; ahitaṃ — hostile, an enemy; cāpi — and even; puruṣaṃ — a man; na — not; vihiṃsyur — would they harm, injure; adūṣakam — who has done no wrong, blameless

1.7.9

vīrāṃś ca niyatotsāhā rāja śāstram anuṣṭhitāḥ
śucīnāṃ rakṣitāraś ca nityaṃ viṣayavāsinām

Valiant and of steadfast zeal, versed in the science of statecraft, they were ever the protectors of the honest dwellers in the realm.

Words: vīrāṃś — valiant, heroic; ca — and; niyatotsāhā — of steadfast zeal; rāja śāstram — the science of statecraft; anuṣṭhitāḥ — versed in, practising; śucīnāṃ — of the honest, pure; rakṣitāraś — protectors; ca — and; nityaṃ — always, constantly; viṣayavāsinām — of the dwellers in the realm

1.7.10

brahmakṣatram ahiṃsantas te kośaṃ samapūrayan
sutīkṣṇadaṇḍāḥ saṃprekṣya puruṣasya balābalam

Without harming the brahmins and kṣatriyas, they filled the treasury; though severe in punishment, they acted only after weighing a man's strength and weakness.

Words: brahmakṣatram — the brahmins and kṣatriyas; ahiṃsantas — not harming; te — they; kośaṃ — the treasury; samapūrayan — they filled up; sutīkṣṇadaṇḍāḥ — of very severe punishment; saṃprekṣya — having examined, considered; puruṣasya — of a man; balābalam — strength and weakness

1.7.11

śucīnām ekabuddhīnāṃ sarveṣāṃ saṃprajānatām
nāsīt pure vā rāṣṭre vā mṛṣāvādī naraḥ kva cit

Under all these (ministers), honest, of one mind, and fully discerning, there was nowhere in city or kingdom a single man who spoke falsely.

Words: śucīnām — of the honest, pure; ekabuddhīnāṃ — of one mind, unanimous; sarveṣāṃ — of all; saṃprajānatām — of (those) fully discerning, wise; nāsīt — there was not; pure — in the city; vā — or; rāṣṭre — in the kingdom, realm; vā — or; mṛṣāvādī — a speaker of falsehood, a liar; naraḥ — a man; kva cit — anywhere

1.7.12

kaś cin na duṣṭas tatrāsīt paradāraratir naraḥ
praśāntaṃ sarvam evāsīd rāṣṭraṃ puravaraṃ ca tat

There was no wicked man there, none who lusted after another's wife; wholly at peace was that entire realm and its splendid city.

Words: kaś cin — any (man); na — not; duṣṭas — wicked, corrupt; tatrāsīt — was there; paradāraratir — one who delights in another's wife; naraḥ — a man; praśāntaṃ — tranquil, at peace; sarvam — all, entire; evāsīd — indeed was; rāṣṭraṃ — the realm, kingdom; puravaraṃ — the finest city; ca — and; tat — that

1.7.13

suvāsasaḥ suveśāś ca te ca sarve suśīlinaḥ
hitārthaṃ ca narendrasya jāgrato nayacakṣuṣā

Well-clothed and handsome, all of them too were of good conduct; and for the welfare of the king they kept watch with the eye of statecraft.

Words: suvāsasaḥ — well-clothed; suveśāś — of fine appearance, well-attired; ca — and; te — they; ca — and, too; sarve — all; suśīlinaḥ — of good character; hitārthaṃ — for the welfare, benefit; ca — and; narendrasya — of the king; jāgrato — keeping watch, vigilant; nayacakṣuṣā — with the eye of statecraft

1.7.14

gurau guṇagṛhītāś ca prakhyātāś ca parākramaiḥ
videśeṣv api vijñātāḥ sarvato buddhiniścayāt

Devoted to their preceptor and esteemed for their virtues, renowned for their feats of valour, they were known even in foreign lands, on every side, for the firmness of their judgement.

Words: gurau — toward the preceptor, elder; guṇagṛhītāś — won over / held fast by (their) virtues; ca — and; prakhyātāś — renowned, celebrated; ca — and; parākramaiḥ — by (their) feats of valour; videśeṣv — in foreign lands; api — even; vijñātāḥ — known, recognized; sarvato — on all sides, everywhere; buddhiniścayāt — through the firmness of (their) judgement

1.7.15

īdṛśais tair amātyais tu rājā daśaratho 'naghaḥ
upapanno guṇopetair anvaśāsad vasuṃdharām

Endowed with such ministers as these, gifted with (every) virtue, the faultless king Daśaratha ruled the earth.

Words: īdṛśais — with such; tair — those; amātyais — ministers; tu — indeed, and; rājā — the king; daśaratho — Daśaratha; 'naghaḥ — the faultless, sinless; upapanno — endowed, furnished; guṇopetair — possessed of virtues; anvaśāsad — ruled, governed; vasuṃdharām — the earth

1.7.16

avekṣamāṇaś cāreṇa prajā dharmeṇa rañjayan
nādhyagacchad viśiṣṭaṃ vā tulyaṃ vā śatrum ātmanaḥ

Watching (his realm) through spies, and gladdening his subjects with righteous rule, he found no enemy superior or even equal to himself.

Words: avekṣamāṇaś — observing, keeping watch; cāreṇa — through a spy, by espionage; prajā — the subjects; dharmeṇa — with righteousness, justly; rañjayan — gladdening, delighting; nādhyagacchad — did not find; viśiṣṭaṃ — superior; vā — or; tulyaṃ — equal; vā — or; śatrum — an enemy; ātmanaḥ — to himself, than himself

1.7.17

tair mantribhir mantrahitair niviṣṭair vṛto 'nuraktaiḥ kuśalaiḥ samarthaiḥ
sa pārthivo dīptim avāpa yuktas tejomayair gobhir ivodito 'rkaḥ

Surrounded by those counsellors — givers of good counsel, steadfast, loyal, skilled, and capable — that king, thus attended, attained radiance, like the risen sun with its rays of light.

Words: tair — those; mantribhir — by counsellors; mantrahitair — giving beneficial counsel; niviṣṭair — devoted, steadfast (in duty); vṛto — surrounded; 'nuraktaiḥ — loyal, devoted; kuśalaiḥ — skilled; samarthaiḥ — capable, competent; sa — he; pārthivo — the king; dīptim — radiance, splendour; avāpa — attained, obtained; yuktas — attended, joined (by them); tejomayair — made of radiance, brilliant; gobhir — with rays; ivodito — like the risen; 'rkaḥ — the sun

← 1.6 Daśaratha and Ayodhyā’s inhabitants · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.8 Daśaratha seeks sons: Sumantra’s prophecy →

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.

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